This invention relates to cosmetic applicators. More specifically, the invention relates to cosmetic sampler applicators adapted for single or short-term use.
In an effort to get consumers to commit to the purchase of a makeup product, the cosmetics vendor frequently invites the consumer to sample the product on the consumer""s own skin. In so doing, the cosmetics vendor must provide the consumer with an amount of product adequate to make an informed decision while keeping the cost of this sampling as low as possible. Frequently, the standard procedure is to have on hand at the cosmetics counter, an array of full sized pieces of each color in the makeup line, designated as xe2x80x9ctestersxe2x80x9d. In this scenario, every prospective buyer samples from the same tester, for example, a full sized lipstick. In the case of lipsticks no buyer is permitted to apply the tester directly to her lips, for obvious hygienic reasons. At best the customer may stroke the lipstick on the back of her hand. On the other hand, if the product is an eyeshadow, for example, then an individual cotton swab might be provided to each customer to allow each customer to sample from the same piece. Clearly, such sampling procedures are less than optimal for the consumer, because they do not permit normal application and evaluation of the appearance of the product in the environment in which it will be worn.
One alternative to full sized testers are single-use or short-term use samplers. The single-use sampler is completely hygienic, being used by a single consumer. The single-use sampler allows the consumer to apply a lipstick directly to her lips, either at the counter or at home, where she may try the product with a particular clothing outfit or in combination with other cosmetics. The single use sampler has become an established method of sampling, being preferred by the vendor and the consumer as a means of evaluating a new product. Illustrations of such samplers are found, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,905 and 4,915,234 and International patents nos. WO96/32013 and WO96/32032. These samplers, however, have problems. For example, because each sampler is only used once, the vendor must keep at the counter a large inventory of samplers in each shade. This creates a storage problem in a small space. It is also very costly to make so many samplers, some of which will have to be discarded if they are not used within a certain time period. Furthermore, if the product to be sampled contains a volatile component, that is, a component that evaporates quickly, then those samplers will require airtight packaging, which is a further expense. So while these samplers address the need for a hygienic method of sampling cosmetic products, they remain impractical for the reasons stated. In fact, these samplers created problems that did not exist when sampling from a full sized piece. There remains, then, a need for a cosmetic sampler that affords the consumer a convenient means of trying new products under hygienic conditions, while at the same time being cost effective and space efficient for the vendor. The present invention provides such a sampler.